Quality Assurance Training Programme

Quality Assurance Programmes ensure laboratory staff, clinicians and patients that laboratory test results are reliable, reproducible and relevant.  A National Quality Assurance Programme that includes Internal Quality Control Procedures, External Quality Assessment and Quality Management is an effective tool to improve the quality of laboratory services and restore trust in laboratory test results.

Familiarize course participants with terms and procedures of the National Quality Assurance Programme.  Provide trainees with specific skills on Internal Quality Control procedures for a wide range of tests. 

This 12 days training programmes has been specifically designed for laboratory personnel working in public health laboratories in Nepal.  The course content has been selected based on laboratory tests performed at district level laboratories.

The 12-day  training programme is divided into theoretical sessions in the morning and practical sessions in the afternoon.  The programme begins with introductory sessions on the National Quality Assurance Programmes, the three stages of Quality Assurance (Pre-analytical Stage, Analytical Stage and Post-Analytical Stage) and an introduction to Standard Operating Procedures.  

Following sessions are divided by subject areas: Haematology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Parasitoloy and Urine Analysis.  Each subject is introduced with a theoretical session on sample collection, sample storage & transportation, waste disposal and bio-safety precautions.  Internal Quality Control procedures for selected tests are highlighted.  

Practical sessions in the afternoon focus on selected tests.  Practical work is done through group work.  Practical sessions are concluded by discussions and grading of the best performing group of the day.  

The course outline may be adjusted to correspond with the level of participants.  Laboratory assistants for example might receive more elaborate training on haematology and parasitolgy and receive only limited instruction in microbiology. 

Synopsis of  major subject areas taught during the two weeks programme:

Introduction to Quality Assurance Programme (Quality Assurance Programme in the country, External Quality Assessment, Internal Quality Control, Quality Management)

The Three Stages of Quality Assurance (Pre-analytical, Analytical and Post Analytical Stage)

Standard Operating Procedures (Use and usefulness)  

Quality Assurance in Haematology (Sample Collection, Sample Storage and Transportation, Universal Precautions, Waste disposal and cleaning)

Internal Quality Control Procedures for selected tests (Haemoglobin, Total WBC Count, Differential WBC Count, ESR) and practical sessions

Haemoglobin, Colorimetric method and preparation of a calibration graph (IQC Procedures)

Quality Assurance in Biochemistry (Sample Collection, Sample Storage and Transportation, IQC Procedures and practical sessions for selected  tests)

Quality Assurance in Biochemistry (Precision, Accuracy, Mean, Standard Deviation, Calibration Graph)

Equipment Maintenance (Cleaning, Handling and Simple Preventive Maintenance)

Quality Assurance in Microbiology (Sample Collection: Sputum, Skin smear and skin scrapping for fungus, Sample Storage and Transportation, Waste Disposal, ICQ Procedures  and practical sessions: Gram Stain, Ziehl Neelsen Stain, Fungus  and Scabies scrapping)

Quality Assurance in Microbiology (Sample Collection: Urine and Blood, Sample Storage and Transportation, Disinfecting and Sterilisation, ICQ Procedures  and practical sessions: Urine  and Blood culture)

Quality Assurance in Parasitology (Sample Collection: Stool, Sample Storage and Transportation, Waste Disposal and Precautions, ICQ Procedures and practical sessions: Stool examination for Helminths and Protozoa)

Quality Assurance in Parasitology (Sample Collection: Blood, Sample Storage and Transportation, ICQ Procedures and practical sessions: Malaria, Filaria and Leishmania)

Quality Assurance in Urine analysis (Sample Collection, Sample Storage and Transportation, ICQ Procedures and practical sessions)

Final test with Multiple Choice Questions.  Discussion. Evaluation of Training

The Public Health Care Laboratory - 2001 � Gabriele Mallapaty